Geranium plant named ‘Thumbling Hearts’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Geranium  plant named ‘Thumbling Hearts’, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; strong growth habit; freely basal branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; light pink-colored flowers with red purple-colored venation and centers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Geranium cinereum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Thumbling Hearts’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofGeranium, botanically known as Geranium cinereum, and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘Thumbling Hearts’.

The new Geranium is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Rijpwetering, The Netherlands. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new strong and healthy Geranium cultivarswith attractive flowers.

The new Geranium originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in July, 2002, of the Geranium cinereum cultivar Purple Pillow,not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with the Geranium cinereumcultivar Ballerina, not patented as the male, or pollen, parent. The newGeranium was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a singleflowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollinationgrown in a controlled environment in Rijpwetering, The Netherlands inFebruary, 2003.

Asexual reproduction of the new Geranium by divisions in a controlledenvironment in Rijpwetering, The Netherlands, has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new Geranium are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Thumbling Hearts has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature,daylength and light intensity without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Thumbling Hearts’. Thesecharacteristics in combination distinguish ‘Thumbling Hearts’ as a newand distinct cultivar of Geranium:

-   -   1. Upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.    -   2. Strong growth habit.    -   3. Freely basal branching habit.    -   4. Dark green-colored leaves.    -   5. Freely flowering habit.    -   6. Light pink-colored flowers with red purple-colored venation        and centers.    -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Geranium differ primarily from plants of the femaleparent, the cultivar Purple Pillow, primarily in flower color as plantsof the cultivar Purple Pillow have warm purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Geranium differ primarily from plants of the maleparent, the cultivar Ballerina, primarily in flower color as plants ofthe cultivar Ballerina have darker pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Geranium can be compared to plants of the Geraniumcinereum cultivar Carol, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,124. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Rijpwetering, The Netherlands,plants of the new Geranium differed primarily from plants of thecultivar Carol in flower color as plants of the cultivar Carol hadpurple-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Geranium, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Geranium.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view oftypical flowering plants of ‘Thumbling Hearts’ grown in an outdoornursery.

The photograph at the top of the second sheet is a close-up view of atypical flower and leaves of ‘Thumbling Hearts’.

The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet is a close-up view oftypical leaves of ‘Thumbling Hearts’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in Rijpwetering, The Netherlands in anoutdoor nursery during the summer. During the production of the plants,day temperatures ranged from 14° C. to 32° C., night temperatures rangedfrom 7° C. to 15° C. and light levels ranged from 10,000 lux to 50,000lux. Plants were about one year old when the photographs and thedescription were taken. In the detailed description, color referencesare made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classsification: Geranium cinereum cultivar Thumbling    Hearts.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Geranium cinereum cultivar Purple            Pillow, not patented.        -   Male or pollen parent.—Geranium cinereum cultivar Ballerina,            not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By divisions.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 20            weeks.        -   Root description.—Fine, moderately fibrous; N170A in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderately dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   General appearance.—Herbaceous perennial. Upright and            outwardly spreading plant habit; flattened globular in            shape.        -   Growth and branching habit.—Moderately vigorous growth            habit. Freely basal branching habit with about 13 lateral            branches developing per plant.        -   Plant height, to top of umbels.—About 19.4 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 44.5 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 24.1 cm. Diameter: About            1.8 mm. Internode length: About 4.1 cm. Texture: Densely            pubescent. Strength: Moderately strong. Color: 144A; upper            surface flushed with 177B to 177C.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Basal and alternate stem leaves; simple.        -   Length, basal leaves.—About 2.6 cm.        -   Length, stem leaves.—About 1.4 cm.        -   Width, basal leaves.—About 3 cm.        -   Width, stem leaves.—About 1.7 cm.        -   Shape, basal and stem leaves.—Orbicular.        -   Apex, basal and stem leaves.—Acute.        -   Base, basal and stem leaves.—Hastate.        -   Margin, basal leaves.—Palmately cleft; lobes crenate.        -   Margin, stem leaves.—Palmately cleft; lobes entire.        -   Venation pattern, basal and stem leaves.—Palmate.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces, basal and stem            leaves.—Moderately pubescent.        -   Color, basal and stem leaves.—Developing foliage, upper            surface: 137B. Developing foliage, lower surface: 138B.            Fully developed, upper surface: 137A; venation, 144B to            144C. Fully developed, lower surface: 138A; venation, 144D.        -   Petiole.—Length, basal leaves: About 8.5 cm. Length, stem            leaves: About 1.1 cm. Diameter, basal leaves: About 1 mm.            Diameter, stem leaves: About 0.8 mm. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces, basal and stem leaves: Pubescent. Color,            upper and lower surfaces, basal and stem leaves: 144A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement.—Single rotate flowers arranged in pairs            arising from apical leaf axils. Flowers face upright to            slightly outward. Flowers not fragrant.        -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering habit; about 24 flower            buds and open flowers per lateral branch.        -   Flowering season.—In The Netherlands, flowering is            continuous from late spring to late summer. Flowers not            persistent.        -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about one week on the plant.        -   Flower diameter.—About 3.2 cm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 1.1 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 8 mm. Diameter: About 4.5 mm.            Shape: Elliptic to obovate. Color: 137C.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Five in a single whorl. Length:            About 1.7 cm. Width: About 1.4 cm. Shape: Obcordate. Apex:            Emarginate. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper            and lower surfaces: Mostly smooth; towards the base, densely            pubescent. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper            surface: Lighter than 77D; towards the base, N74A; venation,            N78A; venation towards the base, N79A. When opening and            fully opened, lower surface: Lighter than 77D; towards the            base, 72A to 72B; venation, N78A; venation towards the base,            N79A.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five, arranged in a single            whorl. Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 4 mm. Shape:            Elliptic. Apex: Mucronate. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Densely pubescent. Color:            When opening, upper surface: 143A to 143B. When opening,            lower surface: 137C. Fully opened, upper surface: 143A to            143B. Fully opened, lower surface: 138A to 138B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.2 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong. Angle: About 50° C. from            vertical. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 144A; upper surface            flushed with 177B to 177C.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 2.9 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong. Angle: About 15° C. from            vertical. Texture: Pubescent. Color: N143A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:            About ten. Filament length: About 5 mm. Filament color:            N86C. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther width: About 1 mm.            Anther shape: Oblong. Anther color: Between N186A and 202A.            Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: 12B. Gynoecium: Pistil            quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 6 mm. Stigma            shape: Five-parted; reflexed. Stigma color: N79B. Style            length: About 4.5 mm. Style color: 144B. Ovary color: 144B            to 144C.        -   Seed.—Seed development has not been observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Geranium have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Geraniums.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Geranium have exhibited good    garden performance and to tolerate rain and wind and have been    observed to be suitable for USDA Zone 5.

1. A new and distinct Geranium plant named ‘Thumbling Hearts’ asillustrated and described.